The Karma of Materialism

Schmidt Number: S-3400

On-line since: 30th September, 2016

Lecture IX

Berlin,
September 25, 1917

A point has been reached
in mankind's evolution when the riddle of existence becomes ever more
significant for the human soul. Some are aware of the riddle but there
is little inclination anywhere to seek ways and means of solving it.

Today I would like to point
to an aspect of the riddle which many people come up against in everyday
life. There are those who ask: Why is it that all over the world there
is a discrepancy between man's intellectual and moral development? At
present man's intellectual development expresses itself mainly in what
could also be called, with more or less justification, scientific development.
Most people's view of life is based on natural science. And what things
has man not produced thanks to his intellect! I need not enumerate all
the external products which make up our materialistic culture. When
one thinks of all the ingenious means it has so far produced for destroying
human life, for enabling men to slaughter one another, then, leaving
aside all moral considerations, one must concede that the intellect
has reached a certain high plateau in its development. Just think of
all the scientific ingenuity necessary to produce all those instruments
of death with which men mangle each other, causing untold suffering.

One can think of much that
is negative and also of much that is positive in what has come about
as a result of man's highly developed intellect. It has certainly progressed
with unprecedented speed especially in the last centuries. Occasionally
one comes across remarks made by the few who have noticed the glaring
contrast between intellect and morality. Already years ago in his famous
work The Riddle of the Universe, Ernst
Haeckel pointed out how man has progressed intellectually but
in regard to morality he has in many respects remained at a primitive
stage. There are also others who have remarked on this discord which
tends to be noticed by persons who are awake and sensitive to what goes
on in the world. However, due to modern man's lethargy and love of ease,
people fail to become aware that only spiritual knowledge can throw
light on these profound problems with their far-reaching consequences
for the human soul. If one is to find one's way through the complexities
of present-day life no other possibility exists than to attempt to understand
them in the light of spiritual science. Anyone with a feeling for reality
finds it painful to witness the unease, the unwillingness that exists
all over the globe to face openly and courageously the things that are
happening both above and below the surface of events. Today people are
apt to deplore immoral measures taken in the past. This seems strange
in view of the fact that they fail to judge what goes on at present
all over the world which is far worse than anything that has happened
before in human evolution. Let us for once look at the relationship
between man's intellectual and moral development in the light of spiritual
knowledge.

Our first enquiry must concern
what exactly takes place in the human being when he is engaged in intellectual
pursuits. What aspects of our being is active when we formulate scientific
thoughts; i.e., when we investigate external phenomena? We reflect on
the laws of nature to enable us, through understanding them, to form
appropriate mental pictures. This activity engages parts of man's being
which are the most mature. When we look at what is today the foundation,
the tool of the intellect then we are looking at those aspects of man
which were developed and incorporated into his being in the course of
the ancient Saturn, Sun, Moon and the present Earth evolutions. When
on the other hand we seek to understand the foundation of man's moral
development we cannot refer to such mature constituents of his being.
In regard to his moral evolution we are dealing with comparatively much
younger members of human nature. In actual fact only man's 'I' can be
said to be moral in the true sense. But, as I have often said: man's
'I' is the baby among the members of his being. Even in regard to the
astral body, incorporated into man's being during the ancient Moon evolution,
one can speak of moral impulses only insofar as the astral body, being
intimately connected with the 'I' during life, may receive moral impulses
from the latter. It must also be borne in mind that the 'I' and astral
body have a comparatively independent existence; every night when we
fall asleep they free themselves from the physical and etheric bodies.
They are then in a state of complete unconsciousness and therefore cannot
receive moral impulses.

The following is of great
importance but somewhat difficult for modern man to understand: Every
time we awake from sleep we enter, with our ‘I’ and astral
body, into our physical and etheric bodies; i.e., into the oldest members
of our being. These members, having evolved through the Saturn, Sun
and Moon evolutions have attained a certain degree of perfection which
makes them pre-eminently suitable tools for the intellect. Their degree
of perfection is something that is inborn in them and manifests as intellectual
proficiency. If the 'I' and astral body were not added to our physical
and etheric bodies we would in a certain sense be thinking machines;
we would be scientific automatons. In accordance with their nature our
physical and etheric bodies do in fact act automatically in certain
ways. It is only because the ‘I’ dwells in them that they
are capable of further development on earth. But the ‘I’
could do little towards perfecting the physical and etheric bodies,
even in regard to their intellectual ability, if it were not transported
every night into sleep. We attain our best forces, also in regard to
intellectual development, during sleep. It is because the physical and
etheric bodies are perfectly developed tools that the already existing
intellectuality can become further developed by what the 'I' has received
from the spiritual world during sleep and bestows upon them on waking.
During waking life we have in addition our consciousness which we attain
by virtue of the physical and etheric bodies. We have at present no
comparable consciousness as far as the ‘I’ and astral body
are concerned. This should be kept well in mind. Man believes he knows
his ‘I,’ but in what sense does he know it? If you have,
say, a red surface and cut a hole in it through which you look into
darkness; i.e., into nothingness, you will then see the red surface
and the hole as a black circle. You look into nothingness. In your inner
life you see your ‘I’ the way you see the black circle in
the surrounding red. What man believes to be perception of his 'I' is
in fact a gap in his soul life. Though nothing is there, or very little,
man believes he perceives his ‘I.’ In actual fact all he
sees is what his brain reveals to him through his etheric and physical
bodies. In the present phase of evolution man has not come very far
in perceiving his own ‘I’ while in a physical body between
birth and death.

We are unconscious during
sleep, but during the day, while awake, we are still unconscious as
far as our ‘I’ is concerned. Yet morality must be implanted
into the ‘I.’ So you see, as far as morality is concerned
— compared with his intellectuality — man is very much a
baby. That is the deeper reason why it is so difficult for man, during
earth evolution, to advance morally, while intellectually he progresses
with comparative ease.

In a periodical founded
during the war entitled The Bell an article recently appeared discussing
the discrepancy between intellectual and moral development. Despite
its name, The Bell seldom rings out much sense; according to its opinion
on this matter, the discrepancy can be traced to the fact that intellectual
development has come about under capitalism, in other words during a
time when rulership was in the hands of the few, whereas moral development
will come about only when socialism has been established. Well, idealists
insist that the earth will become paradise when idealism gains the upper
hand. Materialists make the same claim for materialism while, according
to liberals, paradise comes about when liberalism is generally accepted.
So naturally socialists see paradise as the realization of socialism.
These views are all incredibly naive. They are in fact so many trite
illusions all of which demonstrate that, while modern man is beset by
problems, he still will not rouse his thinking — and on thinking
it at first depends — to the irksome task of penetrating into
the realm of spiritual experience. Anyone who will really think can
penetrate to spiritual reality. Our age that prides itself in its thinking
knows thinking the least.

The discrepancy between
intellectual and moral development can only be explained when seen in
the greater contexts just outlined. But the article in The Bell
comes to the conclusion that as long as there are individuals who are
intellectual, intellectuality will continue to develop, whereas moral
life will reach a comparable development only when all people are merged
within a socialist order. Thus capitalism is supposed to be favourable
for intellectuals who are scientifically inclined, while socialism will
be favourable for moral development. The reality however, is very different,
for interest in the spiritual world must take hold of man if morality
is to develop to the same extent as intellectuality has done. Men must
become able actually to behold the spiritual forces and impulses that
surge and pulsate through the world. There are many reasons why this
is highly uncomfortable for modern man. For example, when someone embarks
upon developing his thinking, in ways I have often described, his thinking
becomes capable of functioning in the spiritual world. This means that
in his thinking he experiences the spiritual world as a reality. This
leads him of necessity to develop something else which has declined
during our materialistic age, namely, an inner feeling of responsibility.

People whose view of life
is based solely on their natural-scientific knowledge and observations
are determined, in the way they think, by external events. Their thinking
is as it were attached to the leading strands of the external phenomena
and guided by them. The concepts they acquire enable them, up to a point,
to understand external events. However, this kind of thinking in no
way suffices to recognize moral and social issues in their reality;
let alone find solutions to moral and social problems. In order to achieve
this one must be in contact with spiritual reality, which however creates
in the soul a strong feeling of responsibility for one's thoughts. One
will not permit every arbitrary train of thought to go through the soul
but only such which are, as it were, fit to be seen by the Beings of
the Higher Hierarchies. Proclaiming freedom for nations is not a concept
fit to present to spiritual worlds; it illustrates the kind of mistaken
concept, generally held today, concerning the individual's relation
to his folk. We know from spiritual science that freedom is a concept
which is applicable only to human beings as individuals; quite different
concepts apply to nations with their group souls. Yet around the world
today freedom of nations and the like is being proclaimed, giving voice
to Woodrow Wilson's immature ideas. They are even taken seriously! In
fact they are also taken seriously within Europe; though we, with centuries
of experience should at least be able to produce a few enlightened ideas,
ideas that could, in the sense of spiritual science, throw some light
on the issues.

It is possible to feel responsibility,
not only towards people, but towards concepts and ideas; if they are
moral ideas they exist entirely in the spiritual world, for they arise
in our T or possibly in the astral body. However, one does not have
this feeling of responsibility if one lives exclusively in materialistic
concepts and ideas; i.e., ideas that relate solely to external phenomena
as often happens without awareness. One hears phrases such as: God sent
us this war because of our sins and shortcomings. Uttering such phrases
does not indicate moral or spiritual ideas; it indicates rather no advance
beyond materialism. Such an advance only comes about when one is able
to form mental pictures of spiritual reality. Plenty of phrases are
coined these days which have no foundation in reality; it happens especially
when it comes to discussing this or that political issue. On such occasions
one often hears talk of a "new spirit" which does not mean
in the least that the person concerned has the slightest inkling of
the spirit.

If we are to extricate ourselves
from the present devastating conditions, the spirit must not remain
abstract; it must be grasped in its reality. As already mentioned it
is possible to understand this or that external phenomenon with the
kind of concepts engendered by simply following the leading strings
of physical perception. They do not, however, have the power to influence
the intricacies of human life; the latter require concepts and ideas
derived from spiritual insight. You may ask how it then comes about
that human life is after all influenced occasionally. It is because
human beings still rely on old, even ancient ideas though they no longer
fit the changed conditions. Our age demands new concepts, new mental
pictures, derived from spiritual knowledge. Naturally, these ideas are
new only in the sense that they are new to mankind.

However, these new ideas
are at times found to be unpalatable especially when they relate to
human morality seen in the light of spiritual knowledge. It is easy
enough to say that good will is a virtue and should be cultivated, or
that justice is moral and ought to be established. It is also easy enough
to make laws and arrangements accordingly. One can even elect parliaments
in which clever people come together to make all kinds of decisions
based on good will and justice. But if things are handled the way they
have been so far they will result in something similar to the situation
we see spread all over the world today, if only people would have the
courage to recognize that there is a direct connection between the terrible
events taking place at present and the kind of concepts and ideas which
preceded them.

Good will is certainly a
virtue and one can even get a sensuous feeling of pleasure from practicing
it. A kind of cathechism of virtues could be devised: Thou shalt have
good will, thou shalt be just and so on; one would then possess a list
of virtues and no understanding of any of them. It would in fact be
comparable to knowing that when a pendulum is at its highest point the
law of gravity will bring it down to the lowest, but not knowing that
in coming down the pendulum gathers a force that makes it swing equally
far up the other side. In regard to physical phenomena these things
are easy to recognize because the external phenomena themselves enforce
one's thinking to be consistent, but in the sphere of morality there
are no such leading strings.

If a person develops good
will it is certainly an excellent thing. However, just as the pendulum
in its downward swing gathers the force that will make it swing upwards,
so there develops with the force of good will a tendency to its opposite,
a tendency to prejudice, biassed views and the like. No virtue can be
cultivated without developing also a disposition towards the opposite
vice. These truths are not comfortable but truths they are. In the individual
they are less noticeable, but in public life they result in the kind
of thing I have indicated. If people in one age one-sidedly cultivate
some virtue and pride themselves over much in the fact, then people
in the following age, although the connection is not recognized, will
exhibit the corresponding vice. Seen in their true light these things
point to a deep truth uttered by Christ Jesus but one which people will
not acknowledge.

At the present time a strange
current flows like a current through the world taking hold of souls
like an epidemic. It is hard to believe that such views can be held,
but they are. It appears that people have come to the conclusion that
this war must be continued until an everlasting peace can be won. The
war must go on till the impact of the war itself provides an absolute
guarantee that there never will be another. Obviously the best way to
achieve everlasting peace is to let the war go on forever. Simply by
striving, as is done at present, for the ideal of everlasting peace
will ensure that the war never ends! We live in a physical body, on
the physical plane and the physical plane is not and cannot be perfect.
If at one time or another the most perfect conditions possible were
established it would only be a matter of a few centuries and they would
be imperfect; because evolution progresses in oscillations, not in a
straight ascending line. As the pendulum swings up and down, so does
evolution move in lines of ascent and descent. If one epoch has developed
something perfect, it need only wait and people will come who know of
things still more perfect.

What matters is not the
perfection with which things are arranged on the physical plane, which
in any case is an impossibility, an illusion. What matters is man's
freedom. Liberalism, socialism, conservatism all want to create paradise
on earth; i.e., they want to realize something perfect on the physical
plane. Christ said: “The kingdom of God is within you.”
To want to make the physical world into a perfect paradise is to want
something impossible, for in the physical world there is perpetual oscillation.
The Christ Principle is understood rightly only when one strives to
permeate the physical world with spirituality and recognizes that man
is a participant of the realm of the Gods, the realm of the spirit.
Those who want to turn the physical world into a paradise, whether in
the socialistic or some other sense, know nothing about reality. If
the present unreal ideas are to be replaced with ideas based on reality
things must be seen in their wider spiritual context. This can be done
only through spiritual science. Today people are apt to be scornful
of the vistas opening up through knowledge of the evolutions of Saturn,
Sun, Moon, Earth, Jupiter, etc. People are apt to ask why all that is
necessary? Yet this knowledge is needed in order to understand even
the tiniest aspect of life, for man is truly a microcosm. He bears within
him the Saturn, Sun, and Moon evolutions, and if he does not want to
know about them he places himself in a situation comparable to denying
someone the use of his hands for life by tying them behind his back
in early childhood. Similarly man does not make use of his capabilities
if he refuses to turn his gaze towards spiritual reality. By this refusal
he fails grievously in a sphere where he need not fail.

I would like to give you
an example which may seem strange to some but which perhaps conveys
more exactly what I mean by many of the things which I have only touched
on today. I have recently spoken with various people about what is necessary
to get mankind out of the present calamities and blind alleys. What
must be done can be expressed in a number of practical ideas with which
thinking must be quickened when it comes to questions such as —
I cannot go into details now — answering the Papal note. Although
these ideas are nothing but practical answers to immediate problems,
they can neither be attained nor understood unless an impulse towards
spiritual knowledge is present. They deal with the kind of thinking,
the ways and means, necessary if man is to find a solution to the present
confusion concerning how the various peoples and countries are to coexist.
They concern arrangements to be made between peoples and countries and
how to avoid resorting to illusory, abstract notions which only result
in unrealistic declarations about people's freedom, peaceful cooperation
between smaller nations and the like.

It is indeed possible to
work out eminently practical ideas which can lead to salvation from
the present miseries. But what kind of thing happens instead? Perhaps
you have read in the papers about the new principal of Berlin University
being installed. The new principal, Councillor Penck
has been lecturing on political frontiers based on geological factors.
It is impossible to convey the heaviness of heart such occurrences cause
one. And why? Because at what should be the most enlightened places
for present-day cultural life, the most unenlightened, elementary ideas
are presented. If minds had been occupied instead with spiritual knowledge,
then comprehensive ideas of truly practical use for life would have
emerged. Just think of the present situation: we have on the one hand
spiritual science which can work out ideas with practical application
for the present problems, ideas of a comprehensive nature which would
reveal connections of a higher order between the issues. On the other
hand we have the recognized official enquiries, still groping tentatively
in the most basic aspect of the problems with no prospect of getting
any further. Those to whom people today look up and regard as highest
authorities are far removed from any understanding of what is so desperately
needed and attainable through spiritual science. That is what makes
it difficult to explain what is necessary, especially in relation to
the present situation. Official science is concerned with rudiments
of a scientific investigation yet that in itself could lead to spiritual
science if those concerned did not regard it as so much fantasy which
they refuse to consider.

One is reminded, without
presumption or lack of humility, of how the first Christians in early
Roman times had to perform their religious worship down in the catacombs;
while up above the old social order continued as before. But a few centuries
later what had become of that old order whose treatment of early Christianity
we learn from Roman history? Within a few centuries it had dissolved,
and what had once existed down in the catacombs was now above and had
spread far and wide. If only a sufficient number of people could understand
that something similar must come about today even if not of the same
magnitude as Christianity itself. What today dominates the world as
the customary outlook based on official science cannot endure. It has
the same relationship to the needs of the present as ancient Rome to
Christianity evolving below in the catacombs.

This world issue, this world
antithesis must be inwardly experienced. One must enter into it with
thoughts and feelings in order to become fully aware of the shallowness,
when at present there are declamations about a "new spirit."
One must become aware of how futile are the unintelligible ideas about
guarantees to be provided by international organizations and courts
of arbitration, despite the fact that no one knows who would be able
to arbitrate. The time has come when concepts and ideas connected with
the great world issues must be related to those of everyday life. Mankind
cannot simply say that such concepts and ideas are all very well when
it is a question of grasping world events but they do not apply to everyday
issues. Either they are so applied or these very issues become meaningless
and lose all significance for practical life, not that of a decade hence
but for today and tomorrow.

When difference of opinion
is expressed usually a degree of objectivity is exercised, but not when
the object of contention is spiritual science or Anthroposophy. When
someone like Max Dessoir, a professor at Berlin University, attacks
spiritual science, he regales his readers with misrepresentations and
falsifications, as I have shown in my book that will be published shortly.
What should be an honest objective discussion becomes a personal attack,
personal vilification when the issue is spiritual science. And why?
Not because people are able to refute spiritual science, but because
they do not want it. The reason they do not is because modern man shuns
the irksome task of seeking within himself for his true humanity. People
like for example, to rejoice and take pride in their moral concepts,
but this is no longer possible when one knows that virtues will of themselves
turn into their corresponding vices unless a strict watch is kept over
one's life of soul.

I have often drawn attention
to the question of selflessness. Once in a public lecture I gave as
a hypothetical example a society founded for the purpose of cultivating
selflessness. The members soon formed the habit of turning to those
who managed the society saying: I would like such and such but not for
myself; it is for someone else; then the “someone else”
would also ask for something not for himself but for the one who first
asked. Neither wanted anything for himself! The essential thing is not
whether one wants something for oneself or for someone else but whether
the request itself is a selfless one. The truth is that when people
try to become selfless then after a time the power inherent in selflessness
makes them egoistic. The very striving for selflessness makes for egotism.
One has to take care when "the pendulum swings down" not to
rejoice in one's own selflessness.

Luther was very aware of
these things, that is why we find in his writing many instances when
he seemingly shows little respect for such virtues as selflessness and
the like. He knew that selflessness is usually a mask behind which hides
a hypocrite. Luther could often be blunt about such matters. For example,
he advises Melanchthon not to try to be so frightfully selfless but
rather do the bad he felt like doing. For it is better to do the bad
when so inclined than be an insincere pharisee who ostensibly does the
good while inwardly wanting to do the bad. Luther had a great deal of
insight into this polarity in human nature because of his particular
kind of spiritual experiences. For example he was in Rome in the year
1510; at that time it was considered virtuous to climb a very high flight
of stairs — I do not know the technical Catholic term for so doing.
For every stage climbed a certain number of days in purgatory were remitted,
if the whole flight of steps were climbed on one's knees without getting
up many days of purgatory were remitted. Luther took part in this, for
at that period of his life he had the view that by such means one could
further one's salvation. However as he was climbing he had an Imagination
which conveyed to him: Seek righteousness in faith! It was this kind
of experience that made Luther the man he was. He inwardly sensed the
contrasting forces that were engendered in his soul by what he was doing.

What is needed at the present
time above all else is a deeper insight into human life. This means
among other things to have the ability to recognize that the repetition
of a word does not necessarily mean one has the reality to which it
points. Many utter the word “spirit” but it is possible
to talk a great deal about spirit and not come anywhere near it. This
is not generally noticed. For example there is a man who has written
what amounts to a whole library; I should not like to have to count
how many times the word spirit appears in his library. People actually
believe that this man, Rudolf Eucken,
is talking about real spirit. In this realm it is essential to differentiate
between reality and mere appearance. To do this causes disquiet, it
creates fear of spiritual life, even fear of thinking itself. The man
of today wants to flee from thinking, he wants to find his own salvation
as well as solutions to social and political problems by any means other
than thinking.

The time is too serious,
too grave not to take these things in deep earnestness. It will be a
day of blessing when a greater number of people recognize the truth
and reality of what I have indicated again today, unfortunately no more
than indicated. To go into these things in greater detail would mean
speaking about things which cannot be spoken of today. That is why it
would be a good thing if you, especially after these lectures, would
apply to them some real thinking that is as yet not censored. I said
in the last lecture that today people would tear to pieces anyone who
spoke openly about the immediate events as seen with supersensible vision.
Certain things cannot be mentioned let alone done. Thus many opportunities
are lost when one could illustrate how essential it is for present-day
man to deepen and strengthen his inner life. Just imagine what would
have become of the Lutheran movement had Luther not possessed far greater,
stronger and more effective forces than those possessed by most leading
figures today.

One may ask why people today
show so little interest in spiritual knowledge. The real reason is,
what I have often referred to, that man finds it disquieting, uncomfortable.
The natural-scientific view of the world is based on concepts and ideas
which are easier to digest. They are certainly to be admired but all
one must do to acquire them is to look at the phenomena and allow the
external facts to lead one along. One is not required to rouse oneself
inwardly, one does not have to delve into the deepest recesses of one's
soul in order to take the next step. Spiritual knowledge does indeed
make such demands and one is bound to say that unless a human being
is willing to make such efforts he is not man in the true sense. That
is also a truth which is not pleasant to hear, especially by someone
who, thanks to prevailing conditions, is in a position of authority.
That a professor or a privy councilor is not supposed to be a human
being in the fullest sense is naturally difficult to understand. However,
it is the kind of thing that must be understood if we are to emerge
from the miseries we are in at present.

In the year 1613 Johann
Valentin Andrae wrote The Chymical Wedding of Christian
Rosenkreutz; the book appeared in 1616. During the years from 1614
to 1617 Valentin Andrae wrote other works in which he expresses the
thoughts and feelings of his time. One of his books has as its subtitle:
"To the Princes and Heads of States." Andrae wanted to show
that what man believes himself to be and what he believes others to
be is maya, is a great illusion. He wanted man to have the opportunity
to learn to know his true self and that of others. He had in mind a
great spiritual movement and had given much thought and preparation
to its realization. Two outstanding events were in preparation at that
time: the movement Valentin Andrae wanted, and the Thirty Years' War,
lasting from 1618 to 1648. The events that led to the Thirty Years'
War made impossible the movement which Johann Valentin Andrae wanted
to bring about. Much would have to be said if one were to describe the
various causes for this failure. Attempts are often made which fail
but which later succeed. There was at that time a possibility that it
may have succeeded but it did not. Today we again find ourselves within
two streams, two possibilities, which must of necessity affect one another.
On the one hand there is Anthroposophy with the impulse to further human
evolution; on the other hand there is all that which has brought about
events, similar in nature to those that caused the Thirty Years' War.
It depends upon mankind whether once again what ought to happen is prevented
from happening. Lethargy, love of ease might well paralyze the present
attempt. Whether things would then take their course as they did when
the attempt made by Valentin Andrae was paralyzed is another matter.

One should not ask a question
such as: Why do the spiritual powers not intervene in the affairs on
the physical plane and bring order about? That ought not to be asked
because what human beings do is often in direct revolt against the spiritual
powers. Very often those in revolt are the very people who are forever
talking about spirit, spirit, spirit. I recently read on the cover of
a magazine an advertisement of some kind in which the word spirit was
repeated ad nauseam. These days spirit dominates everything, it is enough
to make one despair! Spirit is supposed to manufacture the germs and
gas masks and what not. Everything is called spirit. The question is:
do people realize what spirit this is? As you know we distinguish between
the spirit of normal evolution and the luciferic and ahrimanic spirit.
I drew your attention to Ricarda Huch and how, in her book on Luther
she expresses a positive longing for the devil, she means of course
for recognition of the devil. Concerning all the proclamations about
spirit one could say that people never notice the devil even when they
have him on the covers of magazines.

There are many things which
today I could only hint at, and many I could refer to only in a veiled
manner. They will become clear to you if you reflect on what has been
said today. One thing you will have noticed: that I have spoken in deep
earnest, in bitter earnest which is also the way I must, for the time
being, bring these lectures to a close.